Blog

I’ve been having conversations lately with several nonprofit leaders I trust. CEOs, Executive Directors, Development Directors who care deeply about their missions and take their responsibility seriously.

And even though their organizations look different, I keep hearing familiar observations and challenges.

Fundraising is moving. Fundraising is changing. And the question underneath it all is: How does our team change with it?

Congratulations!You have wrapped up annual giving for 2025. Whether you missed, met or exceeded your goal, it’s time to reset the clock and dive into 2026!Or is it?

Not so fast!

Over the last 12 months you invited hundreds of individuals, businesses and foundations into your amazing story of community need and critical impact.Through letters, posts, displays and conversation you educated everyone who would listen about your organization’s ability to solve problems and invited them to support your great work.

Well done. . .but you’re not done yet.

I genuinely thought this would be a five-minute fix.

One of the knobs on our gas stove broke, so I did what any reasonable person would do: I looked for and ordered a replacement. When it arrived, it wouldn’t fit. I checked the model number, confirmed it was correct, and assumed the problem was a manufacturing issue. So, I ordered another knob and returned the first one I ordered.

Same result.

Year-end fundraising is like football season. The game isn’t won in the last two minutes—it’s decided by the plays you’ve been running since the first quarter. If you wait until December to get serious, you’re basically showing up at halftime and hoping for a miracle comeback. Spoiler: that’s not a winning strategy.

Recently passed tax legislation will bring significant changes to charitable giving starting in 2026, creating both opportunities and challenges for donors across all income levels. Understanding these changes now could help you thoughtfully guide your donors through this altered landscape as they plan their year-end giving.

People sometimes avoid getting into the mud.

In many fundraising teams, donor stewardship follows a predictable script: a $250 donor gets a thank-you note and an annual report, a $500 donor also receives a quarterly newsletter and so on. While this approach acknowledges generosity, it also keeps donors in a holding pattern—focused on their last contribution rather than future possibilities.

What if stewardship wasn’t just about recognition and acknowledgement? By aligning stewardship with moves management, we can create a dynamic, forward-facing strategy that deepens engagement and drives transformational giving.

The ocean has a funny way of teaching you humility. Several years ago, I decided to tackle a new challenge: surfing. My first foray into the Pacific was less than graceful. Armed with a rented board and a healthy dose of overconfidence, I paddled out with the singular goal of getting beyond those crashing, churning waves.

And fight, I did.

Ever wish you could just hit “reset” on a hectic day? Or on a season of your work that feels heavy, cluttered, and out of focus?

Here’s the truth: your team feels that, too. And sometimes, the best leadership move you can make is to pause, step back, and help everyone realign around what truly matters.

While every day offers the option for a reset, it seems that most of us use a specific point in time, anniversary, or significant life event to pause, reflect and begin again. Psychologists say that resetting involves re-centering or a fresh start, often aiming to clear mental clutter and negative patterns.

We have all at some point found ourselves heading down the wrong path faced with the choice to push forward or retrace our steps and start out again. If we are not careful, we can view this needed U-turn as time wasted, resources squandered or even failure. If you are the leader and your team has been following close on your heels, this change in direction can feel embarrassing and humbling. You might worry that others will questions your ability to lead.